1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing the starting ingredients for a desired food/beverage product, and more particularly to such an apparatus having a construction in which a container for receiving therein the starting ingredients is obliquely mounted on a raised oblique distal end of a rotary arm in a manner such that the container circles around a vertical main rotary shaft of the arm in a condition in which the container rotates on its own inclined rotary shaft mounted on the distal end of the rotary arm, so that the starting ingredients received in the container are subjected to a combined centrifugal force inside the container and mixed, stirred and kneaded together therein, whereby the ingredients are transformed into the desired food/beverage product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of an apparatus for mixing and kneading the starting materials for a desired non-food/beverage product by using a combined centrifugal force generated inside a container of the apparatus are well known as disclosed in the prior art, for example such as Japanese Patent application Laid-Open Nos.: Sho 63-310629; and, Hei 10-43568.
In the conventional apparatus, the starting materials for the desired non-food/beverage product are received in the container of the apparatus and processed as follows: namely,
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the reference letter xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d denotes a rotation locus circle of a rotary arm 3 (shown in FIG. 3), and the reference letter xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d denotes a rotation locus circle of a container 8. As shown in FIG. 3, the container 8 is obliquely mounted on a raised inclined distal end 4 of the rotary arm 3 to circle around a main rotary shaft 2 of the arm 3 and simultaneously rotates on its own oblique rotary shaft 6 in harmony with the rotational motion of the arm 3. As a result, the starting materials for the desired non-food/beverage product received in the container 8 are subjected to a combined centrifugal force (X+Y) generated inside the container 8, where X and Y are: a centrifugal force X generated in the distal end 4 of the arm 3 when the arm 8 rotates on the main rotary shaft 2; and, a centrifugal force Y generated in the container 8 when the container 8 rotates on its own rotary shaft 6 in a condition in which the arm 3 stops its rotation, respectively.
As is clear from FIG. 3, when both the arm 3 and the container 8 are rotated on their rotary shafts 2 and 6, respectively, the starting materials contained in the container 8 are subjected to both the centrifugal forces X and Y. As is clear from FIGS. 1 and 3, these centrifugal forces X, Y are added to each other and therefore strengthened when the rotations of the arm 3 and the container 8 are coincident in direction (a, b) with each other. In contrast with this, when the rotations of the arm 3 and the container 8 are opposite to each other indirection (a, b), their centrifugal forces X, Y are subtracted from each other and therefore weakened. As a result, the combined centrifugal force (X+Y) generated in any fixed point of the container 8 varies substantially in a sinusoidal manner when both the arm 3 and the container 8 are rotated. Therefore, the starting materials contained in the container 8 of the apparatus are subjected to the combined centrifugal force (x+Y), and therefore effectively mixed with each other and sufficiently kneaded together inside the container 8.
As is clear from FIG. 3, the container 8 rotates on its inclined center axis W corresponding to a centerline of the rotary shaft 6. On the other hand, the arm 3 rotates on its vertical center axis V corresponding to a centerline of the main rotary shaft 2.
Since the container 8 is obliquely mounted on the distal end 4 of the rotary arm 3, the combined centrifugal force (X+Y) generated in the container 8 depends on a level or height inside the container 8. In other words, variations in strength of the combined centrifugal force (X+Y) increase as the level or height inside the container 8 decreases to strength the centrifugal force X derived from the rotation of the arm 2. As is clear from FIG. 3, since the effective radius of the rotary arm 3 increases as the level inside the container 8 decreases, the centrifugal force X derived from the rotation of the arm 2 increases as the level inside the container 8 decreases.
Further, since the container 8 is obliquely mounted on the arm 3, the centrifugal force X acts as a kind of additional gravity on an inner bottom of the container 8, which enhances the processing operation of the starting materials contained in the container 8.
It is well known in the prior art to control the combined centrifugal force (X+Y) in strength by controlling the rotational speed of each of the rotary arm 3 and the container 8.
Although various types of non-food products have been produced by using the conventional apparatus, a need exists in the art for an apparatus for processing the starting ingredients for a desired food/beverage product, in an easy manner, at low cost through the lowest possible number of process steps, wherein the desired food/beverage product is, for example, a high-quality dough which is substantially made of water and flour and adapted to be formed as Japanese noodles having a strong bite/mouth feel.
Under such circumstances, the present invention was made to meet the above need by finding out the possibility of application of the conventional apparatus to the food industry. In this connection, the inventor of the present invention has already proposed an apparatus and method for producing a high-quality dough adapted to be formed as the Japanese noodles in his Japanese Patent No. 2000-122560.
Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for processing the starting ingredients for a desired food/beverage product such the dough and any other food/beverage products.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object of the present invention is accomplished by providing:
In an apparatus for processing the ingredients for a food/beverage product by using a combined centrifugal force (X+Y) generated inside a container (8) which is obliquely mounted on an raised oblique distal end (4) of a rotary arm (3) rotating on a main rotary shaft (2), wherein the container (8) received therein the ingredients rotates on its own rotary shaft (2) and simultaneously circles around the main rotary shaft (2) to produce the combined centrifugal force (X+Y) inside the container (8), so that the ingredients are subjected to the combined centrifugal force (X+Y) and therefore mixed, stirred and kneaded together inside the container (8), the improvement wherein:
a sieve-like capsule member (10) for receiving the ingredients therein is detachably mounted in the container (8) and firmly fixed thereto, not to move therein when the container (8) is subjected to the combined centrifugal force (X+Y).
In the apparatus, preferably, a small concave-convex portion (20) is formed in an inner bottom surface of the container (8).
Further, preferably, in the apparatus: a raised floor member (15) is detachably mounted in the container (8) in an insertion manner and firmly fixed thereto, not to move therein when the container (8) is subjected to the combined centrifugal force (X+Y); and, the raised floor member (15) serves as a strainer and is provided with a radial blade (12).
Still further, preferably, in the apparatus: a raised floor member (18) is detachably mounted in the container (8) in an insertion manner and firmly fixed thereto, not to move therein when the container (8) is subjected to the combined centrifugal force (X+Y); and, the raised floor member (18) is provided with a small concave-convex portion (17) in its upper surface.
In the apparatus, preferably, the container (8) is provided with a small concave-convex portion in each of its inner peripheral surface and its inner bottom surface.
Further, preferably, in the apparatus: a partition capsule member (30) is detachably mounted in the container (8) in an insertion manner to define a receptacle space (31) between an inner peripheral surface of the container (8) and an outer peripheral surface of the partition capsule member (30); the partition capsule member (30) is fixedly mounted so as not to move in the container (8) and receives therein the ingredients; and, the receptacle space (31) receives therein a cooling material for cooling the ingredients or a heating material for heating the ingredients.
Consequently, it is possible for the apparatus of the present invention having the above construction to efficiently produce the food/beverage product excellent in bite/mouth feel, color, taste and flavor.